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Session 1: Herglund (Part I)
__FORCETOC__ Synopsis The heroes Rhiannon, Shalla, and Sophi are introduced. While performing adventuring work in Herglund, the three are drawn into the theft of the relics of Saetar when the culprit, Elias, attempts to frame Shalla for the deed. The three manage to catch up with Elias and his gang in the woods, but the Faeborn manages to escape. Details It is currently the middle of winter, (more specifically late Potentia), in the year 232 AD. Rhiannon Tamarinth, Shalla El’Lenorai Duin’Suul, and Sophi Deluxia are all in Herglund, a trading post next to the Dark Wood in Trestana in Nordia. Each of them have come to Herglund for their own reasons, but they are currently working together to accomplish various tasks in the village. While each of them have found themselves in Herglund as result of continuing their adventuring careers, Shalla more specifically has come to Herglund to find any clues she can on the whereabouts of the remains of Saetar of the Wolfskagg, a quest she has undertaken from her church as part of her paladin training. Presently, within Herglund, reside the Iron Spear tribe and the Venom Dragon tribe, the latter of whom have been charged with the protection of the Relics of Saetar. Shalla goes to Wulfrec Trollbane, the leader of the Venom Dragon tribe and keeper of Saetar’s relics. From him she learns that there are several stories concerning the end of Saetar’s life – some say he died peacefully surrounded by his children; others say that he died in the Deepland, fighting the Burned Marshes; and yet others say that he died fighting in the Southern Continent. Whatever the true story is, it is likely that Saetar died fighting. Shalla also learns from Wulfrec that while Saetar’s cairn is built near Toru Pass, his body was never buried there, and that there are additional Relics of Saetar both in Suulin and in Lincaeum. Rhiannon, Shalla, and Sophi accept the task of going into the Dark Wood along with the woodsmen to provide the men some protection while they collect what lumber has been allotted by the treants of the forest. The group perform the duty without incident, but when they return, they are greeted by an angry mob. Taken to Wulfrec, they find out that someone, who looked very much like Shalla, has stolen some of the relics – Wulfrec had awoken in the middle of the night to find someone stealing the relics, and had engaged them in combat. The thief managed to escape, but not before dropping a holy symbol that looked similar to Shalla’s. The group deduces that it is likely that the thief had made himself or herself look like Shalla, and then allowed Trollbane the opportunity to catch them red-handed so that Shalla would be framed. Taking a closer look at the holy symbol supports this conclusion as the holy symbol is identical to Shalla’s right down to the serial marking. Shalla is not pleased with being framed as a robber, and so promises (inevitably binding the other two as well) to retrieve the items. The group is under a time constraint however as they must return to Herglund within a week in order to escort the caravan that they have agreed to travel with. The group does some digging in Herglund and find out that a Faeborn by the name of Elias had hired a group of mercenaries and is no longer within the town, taking the road out of Herglund that would lead him to the Dark Wood – from there he could either to choose to cut through the dangerous forest or take the road that circles around it. The trio decide that he is likely heading to Comtrest where he can take one of the Gates, and opt to take the shortest route (that is, through the Dark Wood) in order to catch up to Elias or get ahead of him. While the group spends the first night within the Dark Wood, they are attacked by zombies. They identify them as woodsmen who had recently travelled into the forest, and who must have been murdered and then reanimated by Elias. Having ample holy magic at their disposal, the group makes short work of the zombies and lays the corpses to rest. The group continues on the next day, but a winter storm blows in, making visibility poor and movement difficult. After some time, the party manages to catch up with Elias and his men, whose wagon had been significantly slowed by the winter storm. The trio confront Elias, who, much to Shalla’s chagrin, doesn’t see what he has done as either stealing or murdering, making it pointless to argue with him. He does reveal that the reason he has taken the Relics of Saetar is because had had heard a rumour that the Goddesses are looking for something significant – and if he can find that something significant, then the Goddesses would grant him a boon. Elias’ goons attack the group. Shalla, Sophi, and Rhiannon fight back against them, and eventually overcome the mercenaries. Elias proves to be harder to deal with however, as he is quite tough and, as a faeborn, susceptible only to cold iron. Using Sophi’s mace, Shalla manages to deal enough damage to Elias that he is forced to flee, using his ability as a faeborn to escape through the ground. First Appearances *Rhiannon Tamarinth *Shalla El'Lenorai Duin'Suul *Sophi Deluxia *Wulfrec Trollbane *Elias